All-diesel crossover looks like a lifted 4-series Gran Coupe. Or small X6. Or slinky X3…

Related content

This is the 2015 BMW X4, a sort of off-road smallish coupe, announced today ahead of the New York motor show.

Elbowing its way into BMW's model orgy - somewhere on top of the X3, underneath the X6, and spooning the 4-Series Gran Coupe - you'd be forgiven for asking what on earth the X4 is for. And you'll forgive us for not being absolutely sure.

It is effectively a four-door coupe version of the X3 (it squats on the same platform), and sits 36mm lower, so it's worse off-road. The driver sits 20mm lower than they would in an X3, and people in the back are 28mm closer to the tarmac. Hmm.

Under the bonnet you'll find only diesels, at least if you're in the UK. The entry xDrive 20d (£36,590) gets a 187bhp 2.0-litre that does 54.3mpg emits 138g/km, and the xDrive30d (£44,890) gets a six-pot 255bhp 3.0-litre that gets 47.9mpg and emits156g/km.

Top of the tree there's a £48,990 (say whaaaat?) xDrive35d model, which gets a pokier 308bhp version of the 3.0-litre six. That gets the X4 to 62mph in 5.2 seconds, but still returns 47.1mpg and emits 157g/km. All diesels get a six-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive, though you'll be able to spec an eight-speed auto box.

So, in conclusion, it's a jacked-up (but also lowered) four-door diesel coupe that costs £7,620 more than an X3, and £7,170 more than a 4-Series Coupe. Would you?